Olive Branches
by zelda3469
Summary: A collection of short one shots all focused on the one and only Naru.
1. Blackmail

Really, he hadn't been interested in the case. It was simple, much too easy. Not that he was putting Mai down, but the investigation was so simple that his assistant could have conducted it on her own, and he wouldn't have been worried in the least about her.

But, Hara-san… She was the only reason he had taken the case; or rather, the information she had against him was the only reason.

It was obvious Mai had gotten rather upset after he accepted the case from Hara-san. She made her position very clear through not only her words, but her body language as well.

Naru's chest had clenched painfully when he saw the look of hurt, betrayal even, flash through her glossy eyes. He wanted to explain to her that things weren't as they appeared, but if he told her exactly what was going on and exactly who he was, Hara-san would have informed the press of his location immediately.

He had only been able to stare back at Mai, his eyes offering a weak apology, though he doubted she caught it.

"Are you even listening to me, _Oliver_?" Masako said, wrapping herself tighter around his arm.

Naru glanced up at his office building. His eyes flicked to the window, where Mai stood, staring at himself and Hara-san as they walked. He didn't have to look at her long to know she was still hurting, even from a distance. It was written all over her face.

"Yes," Naru replied, turning his head to look forward again.

"Than I'm glad we have an understanding." Lips curled up into a smile, Masako gazed up at Naru. "When can I expect that Mai will no longer be employed by you?"

Brow twitching, Naru turned his eyes on Hara-san and glared at her.

"I simply agree not to pursue a relationship with her at this point in time, nothing more." Mai depended on the job he had given her. Without it, she would struggle to simply make ends meet. She was an orphan, not that the others knew - and by God he wouldn't tell the others that, including Hara-san. It was Mai's business, and he was not at liberty to share her personal information with anyone else, except for his superiors - Martin and Madoka - back in England.

Frowning, Masako stopped before huffing irritably, "And how do you feel the press would respond if I were to inform them that a celebrity who has yet to be publicly photographed just so happened to be in Tokyo?"

Naru clenched his fingers into tight fists as he bit his tongue to keep from snapping at that moment.

After a few tense seconds of consideration, he looked directly into Hara-san's eyes and said with a biting tone, "Fine. Tell them. There is nothing you can do that would force me to fire my own assistant."

Tightening her jaw, Masako forced a smile. Honestly, what was so special about Mai? Why did Oliver like her so much? She was plain, clumsy, dirt poor, and so… dense. What in the world could Oliver have seen in her? What did Mai have that she didn't?

"Fine. She can remain your assistant then…"

When Hara-san latched herself back onto his arm, Naru silently released a long breath through his nose.

He was safe for another day, and Mai… He would at least be able to enjoy her company, even if he could not be anything more than her employer.


	2. Halloween

He was not coming out of his office, not on that day. Really, before, Naru had thought Halloween was such a stupid, pointless holiday. Well, at least what it had become.

Originally, Halloween was a pagan holiday, celebrated by the Celtics. They believed on one certain day of the year that the dead could walk along the living, and interact with those who were still alive. Of course, thinking the deceased would visit the living on that one day in particular was preposterous. The holiday soon evolved, and prior to the days of costumes and wild parties, it was a day dedicated to honoring the dead, at least to those who practiced Christianity.

And that's what Naru decided he would do that day, October thirty-first. He would simply honor his deceased brother in silence (though he did that most days anyway).

As the day ticked on slowly, Naru found himself calling for tea, as he always did in the midafternoon. But, when his newly acquired assistant failed to respond, he called again, a bit louder.

Again, there was no answer.

Irritated, Naru stood from his desk and opened the door of his office. He looked out at Mai's desk before rolling his eyes.

There she was, dressed in an orange dress with striped stockings to match. On the top of her head sat small, black pointed hat, and then next to her desk was a broom made of cheap plastic and pink ribbons.

"Mai," He called as he crossed his arms.

"Huh?! Wha-" She fell back out of her chair and landed in the floor. "Ow…" She groaned, rubbing the back of her head.

"Mai, get up," Naru ordered, "and make tea."

He watched the younger girl stare at him for a moment as her face burned a bright shade of red. It wasn't terribly difficult to tell that she was biting her tongue to keep from shouting.

"Now," Naru added, raising a brow.

"Jerk," Mai finally grumbled, pushing herself up onto her feet. "You could at least be nice about it!"

Naru sighed. "This is the third time I have asked, Mai." He glanced at her desk, curious as to what had been distracting her while he demanded tea earlier.

He then frowned. There were a number of decent sized purple bags on her desk tied with green and white strings. What in the world could those have been for?

Naru shook his head. He could have really cared less. Whatever Mai did was her own business.

After only a few short minutes Mai returned from the small kitchen with a cup of tea in hand. She offered it to Naru, who then snatched the cup from her without a word. Just as Mai opened her mouth, demanding he at least say thank you, the door opened, and Monk walked in, black cape clasped around his neck.

"Jou-chan!" He said, smiling. "Your costume is amazing! Looks like you're all ready for the party!"

Naru's brow twitched.

"We only have to wait here for the others now," Monk continued.

"If you wish to have a party, I suggest hosting it elsewhere. This is a place of business." Naru spoke, voice stern.

Mai frowned as she looked at her employer with shiny, puppy like eyes. "Aw, but Naru, it's Halloween! Please! Can we have a party here?! I mean, we'll be quiet! I promise!"

"No."

"But Naru-"

"Mai, I said no, and that's final."

Stomping her foot, Mai crossed her arms, "Why not?"

"Mai," Naru said, his voice growing slightly darker, "This is an office. It is unprofessional to host parties in an office."

"Other places do it!" She argued.

"That may be, but this is my office, and in my opinion, parties are an absolute no in the workplace."

"But-"

Cutting her of, Naru turned as he spoke again, "I said no, and that's final."

He shut his door and sighed. Naru didn't show it, but he did hate telling Mai no… He didn't want her upset or disappointed, but he couldn't handle listening to a party on a day he felt he needed to take time and remember his older brother.

A little over an hour later, while staring at his clear desk, Naru called Mai for tea again. He concluded that she heard him the first time, due to the fact he actually heard movement outside his door. Then, as he predicted, Mai came walking in, looking terribly upset.

"Please?" She asked softly, setting the teacup on his desk.

"No," Naru replied, not even looking at his assistant.

Sighing, her face falling completely, Mai nodded. She would do her best to host at her tiny apartment then...

The afternoon wore on in silence and bled into night. Lin had already left for the hotel, and Naru said he would follow after a little more time alone to himself.

It was as he exited his private office for the final time that day that Naru noticed something odd. On the handle of his door was a purple bag, tied off with green and white strings.

He remained still for a long moment before reaching out to take the holiday themed bag. Carefully, he opened it to find an assortment of small candies. There was also an envelope, and a small package.

Naru pulled both the envelope and package from the bag. He opened the smaller of the two first. It was a card with a smiling white ghost printed on the front. Almost laughing bitterly, Naru shook his head. Mai had filled the entire inside of the card with writing, writing he couldn't read. Seeing as he only ever wrote with English characters, his kanji was rather weak.

Next, he peeled away the orange wrapping of the package. His eyes widened slightly, and he shook his head. It was a book; a book written in English. But, of course it wasn't just any book.

It was a first edition, and it was also signed. Naru wondered how much Mai actually had to pay for that book, seeing as there were only a total of five signed copies.

_The Science of Parapsychology, by Oliver Davis._

For the first time that day, Naru's lips actually turned up, and he smiled. Oh, if only Mai knew.


	3. Beach

"Oh! I've always wanted to go to the beach!" Mai cried, looking at Monk enviously.

Naru had found himself staring out from the doorway of his office, amused by the display in the sitting area. So Mai wanted to go to the beach? Interesting.

Leaning back against the doorframe, he continued to watch, only acting as an observer.

"Have you ever been to the beach?" Ayako asked, raising a brow.

Mai shook her head and pouted, "No… I haven't."

Nearly raising an eyebrow, Naru let out a nearly silent sigh. How could his assistant have never been to a beach? Hell, he'd take her if she asked. Of course, he would do most anything he could for her…

His eyes wander to Hara-san, who was covering her mouth with her kimono sleeve.

He would have done so much more for Mai had _she_ not been a problem.

"Well," Masako said, glancing at the brunette, "trust me when I say you aren't missing much. It's only grainy hot sand and salty water."

And Naru wouldn't deny the fact that he actually agreed with Masako there. He never was one for the beach. But if he could make Mai smile because of something he did, well, he would learn not to mind the gritty sand and unpleasantly cold water.

Frowning, Mai crossed her arms, "But I still want to go! I want to swim in the ocean, and build sandcastles! Then, at sunset I want to walk on the beach with…" she trailed off, her eyes slowly moving towards Naru's door. They suddenly widened when she saw him standing there, lazily watching her. Then, Mai fell back over the arm of the chair she had been sitting on.

More than mildly amused, Naru flashed Mai a small smile.

"I'll take you to the beach, Mai," he stated.

Everyone else suddenly snapped their gaze towards Naru. Ayako and Monk were both totally and completely shocked, that was clear to Naru by the looks on their faces. In the meantime, Hara-san only seemed to glare at him.

"Really?!" Mai gasped, her eyes lighting up as she hopped back to her feet.

"Of course, Mai. I'll take you to the beach, to work."

Monk and Ayako suddenly burst out laughing and Hara-san's eyes lost their harsh edge. As Mai's face fell, Naru turned away to return to his office.

"You stupid workaholic!" Mai cried before sticking her tongue out and crossing her arms.

He huffed a slight laugh before shutting the door. Oh, if only he could whisk her away to the beach for an honest vacation. Perhaps he would have the chance to take her someday.


	4. Christmas

"A party sounds nice," Naru deadpanned while he stepped past Mai, Hara-san attempting to keep in step with him. He looked up to see small, shimmery white flakes fell from the sky above as he walked, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Gene had always liked the snow. The idiot always ran about outdoors, trying to catch the little dots on his tongue.

Sighing, Naru looked back at his staff while they followed him. They were all happy and merry at the prospect of an office party. Of course, he had forbidden a Halloween party, but after their last investigation he couldn't help but give into allowing Mai to throw a small Christmas party. Just seeing her smile and laugh until the early hours of the morning would be his gift that year.

Masako cleared her throat when she caught him looking at his assistant, but he couldn't find the will to care at that moment. Oliver didn't want to miss anything… he didn't want to miss her twirling in the new fallen snow, her arms outstretched… he didn't want to regret missing anything.

Mai could have easily been hurt had she not been found in time. Or, had Kenji's hiding place been even better than up in the trees, she might have frozen to death in the chill weather.

It was easy, after just a little thought. He wasn't going to make her take down the tree she had put up that morning, or deny her a special evening with her friends. Sure… the holiday reminded him much of his brother, and deep down it was painful in a sense. But, seeing Mai and enjoying her for a distance while she was there... he couldn't waste that. Oliver had wasted the opportunity once, and he wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

After returning to the office Naru had found himself sitting at Mai's desk while watching the others socialize. Mai had handed out small drinks prior to engaging in any conversation, and after an hour he had received his, Naru hadn't touched it.

He held his head in his hand and slouched over the desk a bit. His right elbow supported his weight, and his other arm was lazily laying on the surface of the desk. His fingers brushed against the base of the glass ever so often while he listened in on the small party.

Though he looked far from it, Oliver was content. Although he might call them all stupid and annoying, the people he cared for most were there to share Christmas Eve with him. It was nice not to feel alone.

As the night wore on into morning, Naru had found himself dozing off, the light chatter acting as white noise. No one had noticed. It wasn't until Everyone except for Mai and Lin had left that Naru was discovered sleeping.

Mai had been the one to catch him with his eyes closed. She was cleaning up, taking dishes back into the kitchen when she saw him curled over her work area.

Setting down the glasses in her hands, she looked up. There was a mistletoe hanging above him. Mai blushed a bit, having remembered to ask Lin to put it up for her somewhere before the start of the party.

As her cheeks heated up she leaned closer to her boss. She wanted to make absolutely sure he was asleep. After she nudged his shoulder gently, and saw that he didn't wake, or appear to at least, Mai pressed her lips to his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Naru." Mai whispered before collecting the glasses once again.

Then, when Oliver was sure Mai was in the kitchen, unable to see him, his lips turned up. He kept his eyes closed as he spoke softly, so no one else could hear, "Merry Christmas, Mai."


	5. Fraud

"Wow! We really get to work with Doctor Davis?!"

Naru kept his arms crossed over his chest while he looked out the window. His own reflection stared back at him, though instead of a frown - which was rightfully pasted on the young researcher's face - it wore a somber smile.

"Yep! We're working with the best there is, kiddo!" Monk patted Mai on the back as he continued. "Man, he's just amazing! They way I've heard he uses PK, and then that research of his, and his books… Makes me wish I could be more like him!"

Rolling his eyes, Naru continued to look past the reflected image in the glass and out onto the grounds surrounding the manor. He might have laughed dryly at the monk's reply to his assistant had he been in a better mood.

Why would anyone want to be like Oliver? He was cold, calculating, and quite miserable.

When he cast a glance out of the corner of his eye, Naru caught Lin staring at him, a hint of worry slightly present in the look he was giving him. Naru sighed and returned his gaze back to the window. Hopefully, he could expose the fraud soon enough. He knew damn well how dangerous the case they were dealing with was, and he didn't want anyone getting hurt simply because he had been told to defend his reputation.

"Too bad I had to miss that last demonstration of his last year," Ayako sighed, brushing her hair back behind her ear.

"You mean the one where he slammed the hundred ten pound aluminum brick into a wall?!" Monk was getting louder by the second.

"The very one."

Turning, Naru gave everyone a cold look. "Well, seeing that everyone has enough time to socialize, I assume that headquarters has been properly set up, yes?"

Everyone went dead silent. Naru raised a brow before turning his head away.

"Well, it seems I have my answer." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Get to work, all of you. And Mai, tea."

Once the room was empty except for Naru, Lin, and Mai, Naru moved away from his place by the windowsill and took a seat in one of the nicely furnished chairs decorating the room. He reached for his journal, which had been left on the table, and then opened it.

He sighed as he sank back into his chair and began reading. While his eyes scanned over the words inked onto the pages of the small book, he only thought about the fraud that the Miami Psychic Research company had towed along with them.

If only that poor Englishman knew how awful it truly was to be Oliver Davis…

Oliver doubted the middle aged man ever suffered from constant insomnia, or feared to even touch an ordinary object of any description. He doubted that fraud knew what it was like to be raped… beaten… killed… And yet, there he was, appearing as if he were _happy_ to be the great Doctor Davis. He was too carefree, that fraud, he was too carefree and ignorant to real pain to even begin to impersonate Oliver.

"Naru?" Mai's voice jarred him from his train of thought. Oliver turned his head slowly to see his assistant standing next to him, a hot cup of tea in her hands.

After setting down his journal, he took his tea from Mai and nodded his head. As his lips touched the rim of the cup and warm liquid spilled into his mouth, all the tension in his stiff body seemed to disappear, leaving him relaxed.

While he drank his tea and rubbed his fingers over the warm, porcelain cup, he saw something that made him think twice about his ability - that perhaps seeing into the past of another didn't always have to be terrible.

Oliver always saw the same girl working in a kitchen next to a taller woman who could only be her mother. There was never an exchange of words, but there was always a sense of peace and happiness radiating from them both. When the small girl reached out to take the hem of her mother's dress, Oliver felt something he couldn't quite explain. It made his chest feel light, and it made his heart race. The feeling contrasted greatly with those he almost always encountered while using his ability. It wasn't hatred, anger, or fear. No, it was love.

"Well…?" Mai drew out, crossing her arms.

Glancing up at Mai, Oliver smirked. He then offered her the now empty cup before ordering, "Tea."

"You jerk! Can't you ever say thank you?!" She snatched the cup from his hand before storming off to brew another serving of Earl Grey.


	6. Flu

Another crumpled up tissue landed in the waste basket next to Naru's desk as he sniffled. He parted his lips slightly to breathe, but before he could even take a breath, he coughed. Quickly, he grabbed another tissue and pressed it to his mouth to prevent the possible spread of disease. Naru then blew his nose again and disposed of the used tissue.

Still unable to breathe comfortably through his nose, Naru gave a nearly silent groan. Of all times to get sick… Of all times for some stupid virus to inflame his immune system… How dare any virus infect his perfect body!

Narrowing his red, puffy eyes, Naru glared at the irritatingly bright screen of his computer. It was the only source of light in the room since he had closed the curtains upon his arrival that morning.

He reached out both hands for the keyboard and continued to type up the document he had been working on all day. Typically, it didn't take more than half an hour to write up a report, but Naru's mind was moving much slower than usual; all his thoughts felt hazy.

"Damn flu…" Naru muttered acidly as he began to edit the last paragraph he had written. Only half the words he needed had made it to the page.

While he worked, the main door to the office opened. Naru paused for a moment as he glanced at the clock. It was one fifteen in the afternoon. She was late from her lunch break.

Sighing, Naru waited until he heard the door close before calling out with a scratchy voice, "Mai, tea." He went back to his report immediately after, trying to ignore the raw feeling in his throat.

Several minutes passed and Naru found himself tainting a few more tissues with illness. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his burning red nose before taking in a weak breath. He was starting to feel cold despite the fact he was wearing a sweater and the heat in the office was on.

"Naru?"

He didn't look to the door as Mai entered. Instead, Naru averted his strained eyes from the bright, natural light pouring through the open door and into the room. It was when he heard Mai shut the door that he cast his gaze at her.

Shaking her head, Mai stepped forward and placed a full teacup on her employer's desk. "It's licorice root tea. It should help with your throat and the congestion." She offered him a small smile. "But, really you should consider getting some rest. It isn't good for you to work while you're sick."

Naru stared blankly at Mai and blinked. He didn't have the energy to thank or insult her either way.

Mai frowned as she tilted her head to catch a glimpse of what Naru was working on. She raised a brow before reaching over to turn off the monitor, leaving the room completely dark.

"The case report can wait," she said softly. "Just drink your tea, and I'll be right back."

Oddly enough, Naru found himself obeying Mai and sipping on the tea she had prepared for him. His sore muscles relaxed a bit and his tired eyes began to drift closed. He didn't actually have the time to fall asleep before Mai was standing before him again, her hand on his arm.

"Here, let's move you over here." She helped him up and led him over to the sofa in his office. Naru didn't fight Mai or even glare as she sat him down. He could hear her voice, but it was becoming harder to properly register what she was saying. Something about shoes maybe? Ah, that was it. She was telling him to kick off his shoes.

When she told him to lay down, he nodded subconsciously and did as he was asked. Naru then remembered her moving a few pillows around, so they were propping up his head slightly. A blanket of warmth covered his entire body soon after.

"Just yell for me if you need anything." Her hand was on his forehead, brushing back his moist bangs.

Naru nodded again as his eyes drifted shut and the welcoming arms of dreamless sleep encompassed him.


	7. Hamlet

"**To be or not to be, that is the question,**" Mai quoted, her English a bit shaky. "**But… whether 'tis nobler-**"

Stepping out of his office with an empty teacup in hand, Noll frowned. "You added an extra word." He glanced at Mai before holding out the cup.

Mai puffed out her cheeks before snapping her head back to glare. "Well excuse me for not being perfect!"

He rolled his eyes. "Tea, Mai."

Face turning red, Mai stormed across the room and yanked the teacup from his grip. She then proceeded to the kitchen noisily, mumbling on about how her employer was such a stupid jerk of a narcissist.

In the meantime, Naru simply slouched back against the wall, waiting. While his eyes scanned the room in an attempt to amuse himself, he caught sight of the book sitting on his assistant's desk. He was by no means surprised to see that a copy of Hamlet was resting next to her school bag. From what he had heard, Mai was attempting to memorize the most famous of all Shakespearean soliloquies.

"**To sleep-perchance to dream: there's the rub,**" Naru heard Mai's voice over the clattering of utensils and dishes in the small kitchen.

He smirked a bit, "You left out a word this time, and your pronunciation could be better."

All the racket in the kitchen suddenly died down into silence. The air grew thick with tension, and then as Naru glanced in the direction of the kitchen, Mai shouted.

"You damn jerk! I'm just learning it! Sorry I can't be like you and get it all on my first try!" She slammed something down on the counter before cursing loudly. There had been a crash and bits of porcelain flew out from underneath her palm.

Naru pinched the bridge of his nose. Leave it to Mai to lose her temper all too easily.

"**To be or not to be an idiot: that is the question…**"

"Did you just call me a baka?! You jerk!"

"Just clean up your mess," Naru sighed. "And please, try not to be stupid enough to harm yourself."

"Jerk!"

Naru shook his head. "Are you unable to think of a better insult?"

"...Big-headed, egotistical, narcissistic ass!"

"**Oh, vengeance. Why, what an ass am I.**"

Mai grumbled to herself. Did he have to constantly one-up her?

Huffing, slightly amused, Naru retreated into his office, shaking his head. When he shut the door behind himself, he gave a heavy sigh and crossed his arms.

"Yes… what an ass am I…" He walked towards his desk slowly, the subject of murder and death weighing heavily on his mind.

"**To be, or not to be-that is the question:**

**Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer**

**The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune**

**Or to take arms against a sea of troubles**

**And by opposing end them.**"

Naru sat down at his desk as his voice grew softer. Never once had such a monologue touched him deeply, so personally. For so long Shakespeare's writing was only a form of art that he appreciated from the comfort of his library. It never struck a chord with him, not until the passing of other half.

"**To die, to sleep-**

**No more-and by a sleep to say we end**

**The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks**

**That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation**

**Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep-**

**To sleep-perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub,**

**For in that sleep of death what dreams may come**

**When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,**

**Must give us pause. There's the respect**

**That makes calamity of so long life.**"

He could have rolled his eyes. Suicide… Of course he never would never have considered it. Suicide only solved temporary problem. It would do nothing for him or anyone else.

"**For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,**

**Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely**

**The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,**

**The insolence of office, and the spurns**

**That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,**

**When he himself might his quietus make**

**With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,**

**To grunt and sweat under a weary life,**

**But that the dread of something after death,**

**The undiscovered country, from whose bourn**

**No traveller returns, puzzles the will,**

**And makes us rather bear those ills we have**

**Than fly to others that we know not of?**

**Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,**

**And thus the native hue of resolution**

**Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,**

**And enterprise of great pitch and moment**

**With this regard their currents turn awry**

**And lose the name of action. - Soft you now,**

**The fair Ophe-"**

He paused. Of course he understood the true meaning of the words he had just spoken… But, never had he truly feared death simply because of the unknown. Really, Oliver didn't fear death at all. It was natural. All creatures, all humans died.

As for the unknown…

Perhaps it would be wise to fear, but somehow Oliver found no reason to fear it. The unknown hda been and would always be apart of his life. He had not known that Eugene would perish during his trip to Japan… He had not known that he would meet others in Japan, willing to respect him and even care for him in some sense. He had not known that he would meet _her_.

"**Soft you now,**

**The fair Taniyama- Nymph, in thy orisons**

**Be all my sins remembered.**"

Just as he finished and held his hand to his head there was a knock on the door. He ignored it for a moment as he collected himself and slid back into his mask of stoicism. As he eyes the door there was another, much more pronounced knock.

"Enter." Naru folded his hands on his desk and waited for his short, mocha-haired assistant to slip into the room.

"Here," she grumbled, setting down a teacup. Naru then reached out to take his afternoon tea. As he sipped on it Mai started at him intently, waiting. When Naru did see her looking at him he set down his warm beverage and looked at her.

"Yes?"

Frowning, Mai balled her hands into fists. "Do I at least get a thank you?"

"Mai, I pay you to make tea."

Her eyes narrowed and she there her hands up in frustration. "Ugh! You are so awful! Do you know that?!"

Naru couldn't resist the urge to smile. "**There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.**"

Mouth opening and closing, Mai twitched. The damn smartass! She spun around on her heel and pouted before storming out of his office, cheeks tinted with a fiery crimson.


	8. Yasuhara

**Alright… so… This is my first A/N for this collection. I just wanted to say that this is a headcanon I've had for a while, and I've tried so many times to write out this particular scene. Anyway, I hope this all worked out. Enjoy~**

It was so very odd of Yasuhara to enter the office quietly. He had greeted Mai with a simple hello, and then requested to see her employer in private.

As Naru watched the composed Yasuhara step into his office, he frowned. The young researcher who had helped him on several accounts seemed… troubled in a sense, which was highly unusual.

"You know…" Yasuhara began with a sigh, "When we first met there was something I had been needing to tell you… and… I suppose there was something I wanted to ask you as well." He looked at his lap as a sad smile worked its way onto his lips.

Raising a brow, Naru crossed his arms. For a moment, he felt as if Yasuhara were about to pull some prank similar to those he constantly played on Takigawa-san, but something about the look in his eye was off.

"What exactly do you need to speak with me about?" Naru watched the college student shift a little uncomfortably before pushing his glasses further up onto his nose. When he cleared his throat, he met eyes with Naru and spoke softly.

"I know you're Oliver Davis."

And Naru stiffened. His face held its composure, despite the sudden shock of Yasuhara's knowledge.

"And before you deny it and tell me I'm mistaken… I should tell you that I've known who you are since I first met you." His voice faded into a choked whisper. "I've just been playing along for now… but… I needed to ask you something, and the desire to know has pushed me to confront you directly."

They sat in the room, staring at each other carefully. Oliver was trying to read Yasuhara, trying to figure out how he knew already. Of course he did know that Yasuhara had spend some time with Madoka, but she would have been careful not to say anything regarding his origins or his identity… And then he had said that he knew all along… but how could that have been?

"Before you ask me anything, I would like you to explain how you came to know of my identity."

Yasuhara nodded his head before speaking again. "Of course… You do have the right to know." He pulled something from his pocket and sat it on the desk.

Oliver recognized the object immediately and shifted back slightly. It was the silly little keychain shaped in the form of a simple ghost that his brother used to frequently carry.

"You see… I… met Eugene several months ago, before you came here. We actually ran into each other, literally. He was reading a map, well… trying, and I was out shopping for a few things. Long story short, I invited him to hang out for a while at my house and we spent a lot of time getting to know each other. He told me all about himself… and you, and your family. Then… after we spent a little more time with each other things started moving quickly and we…" He trailed off, confident that Naru knew exactly where he was going. "But… About two weeks later, he told me that he had to go watch a shinto exorcism. Before he left he gave me this, asking me just to hold onto it for him, that he would return for it… But he never came back…"

While Yasuhara cleared his throat Oliver looked away. His brother had told him that he met someone while on his trip, shortly before his death… and Oliver hadn't been sure if it was another boy or a girl… Gene had always fallen for people simply because of who they were, not because of their gender.

"I just need to know… what happened to him?"

Oliver glanced at Yasuhara from the corner of his eye. He then shook his head and let out a long breath. "He's dead. He had been walking back, and a car hit him. The woman driving panicked, and ran over him again to be sure he was dead before taking his body and disposing of it in a lake."

Eyes watering behind the glass panels of his glasses, Yasuhara inhaled sharply and bit his tongue. He feared that Eugene had been dead.

"And that's why you're here," Yasuhara spoke hoarsely, "to look for him."

Oliver simply answered with silence.

Taking off his glasses to rub his wet eyes, Yasuhara stood. He then whispered, "You have my condolences. And… if there is anything at all I can do to assist you, please let me know." He took a step back, preparing to leave. It was when he completely turned that he hear Oliver speak.

"You've forgotten something." His eyes moved to the keychain still sitting on his desk.

Yasuhara's breath caught in his throat as he faced Oliver again. "I… thought it would mean more to-"

"He would rather you have it. After all, he gave it to you. Besides, I wouldn't know what to do with if it were to remain in my possession."

Standing still, Yasuhara bowed his head. He stepped forward and hesitantly reached out for the small accessory. Meanwhile, Oliver watched him. He noticed how delicately Yasuhara's touch seemed to be, and just how much one of his brother's possessions seemed to mean to him.

It was best Yasuhara took it. He would treasure it more than Oliver; it would mean so much more to Yasuhara than Oliver.

As the part-timer slipped out of Oliver's office with a respectful bow, Oliver sighed. When he was positive that he was alone, he reached into his drawer and pulled out a mirror.

"Idiot…" he spoke, looking at his own reflection. "You idiot… Why did you have to go and get yourself killed…?"

Of course, his reflection didn't respond audibly. It only frowned and then shook its head before vanishing altogether.

_I'm so sorry… Noll._


	9. Comatose

They had been standing too close when John exorcised the violent spirit from a family member of their latest client. He had stepped ahead of Mai and faced the spirit head on, hoping it focused on him rather than her. Everyone thought it had phased through him, too weak to overtake anyone. But everyone had been dead wrong. It had been seeking a new host.

For a good hour, Naru had put up a fair fight within himself, suppressing the dark entity. But as the spirit grew stronger and clawed its way through his consciousness, he hadn't been able to hold the same level of control over himself and he snapped. After nearly strangling Matsuzaki-san, Lin had forced him to rest in a coma like state. He wasn't asleep, of course. He could still hear everyone just perfectly fine.

"I hope he's going to be okay…" It was Mai's voice.

"He'll be alright as long as we leave him be." And that was Lin.

The was silence, and he heard a door slide closed.

"Why can't you just have John perform an exorcism on him?" Ayako asked, sighing.

Oliver would have rolled his eyes had he been able to. That would have required 'waking' him, and he was sure the spirit had already managed to tap into his abilities. Though, the others were not quite aware of what he could do, except for Lin and Hara-san.

"Right now, that would be quite a terrible idea. We don't want to have to wake him yet. Things will get very dangerous very quickly."

"How so, Lin?"

"To put it simply, Naru could easily take me down in a fight. And he could do it in a matter of seconds."

There was silence again. Oliver wasn't terribly surprised. The majority of the team had no idea as to how powerful he truly was.

A little over a day and a half had passed when he heard something knocking against the screen isolating him from base. Then, he heard the screen tear.

"Dammit! Get away from him!"

There was a struggle, from what Oliver could tell. Lin, and perhaps another member of the client's family that had been possessed. Quick footsteps sounded while Lin battled with another possessed man, and suddenly, there was a shriek.

"Oh my god!" Mai… It was definitely her.

"Lin! How do we keep him away from Naru?!" Her voice was shaky.

"My shiki are protecting him, I'm basically useless at this point… Mai, use the nine cuts on him. If I were to do it, I would just kill him. You, however can expel just the spirit possessing him."

"But I-"

Mai was cut off, and there was a loud growl. The banging on the screen began again. A loud whistle cut through it, and Oliver suddenly felt his body twitch. His hand moved, and he was about to bolt upright when Lin's shiki returned to hold him down in place.

"Mai, do it now!"

"But Ayako said not to use it on people again!"

"Mai, we don't have much of a choice!"

Oliver could tell that Lin was truly struggling to hold back the possessed man. His tone held a sense of urgency.

"If he wakes Naru up, it's over!"

"I-"

Lin cursed as the man broke free from his hold. Oliver heard him tear into the screen again. Then, suddenly, he heard Mai shouting, reciting the nine cuts.

There was a loud bang afterwards, and the man snarled again. Mai gasped, and then there was a thud. She had been pushed to the ground.

"Get someone to cover base, Mai!" Lin yelled. Heavy footsteps sounded, but they soon vanished as Lin ran after that man

"Got it!"

Odd… It was so odd. That spirit must have been quite powerful if warding magic couldn't force it out of a human's body. Or, there was something assisting it.

And just like that, Oliver knew exactly what had been going on. The shrine, Okobu, and the number of spirits. It made all sense. Then womb cycling… he had heard Mai and Hara-san speaking about it. It was a way for Okobu to draw in the spirits, and since it was a god, seeing as someone had gone through enough trouble to carve an entire set of stairs into the cliffside it was by no means a minor god. Therefore it was a powerful god. It was using the spirits it had trapped to do its bidding.

If only he could tell Lin, then they could finish quickly and leave. The investigation would be over, and hopefully no one else would die or end up in the hospital.

But he couldn't. He could only remain still as the dead, listening and waiting for the other idiots to put the pieces of the puzzle together.


	10. Forgotten

Mai was the first to start forgetting who Lin and Ayako even were, and it first, it had been… mildly amusing in their rather serious predicament, but it wasn't until several of the others began to lose memories of their missing co-workers that they all realized something was horribly wrong.

Even without Lin and Ayako, they had continued their investigation. Takigawa found a decomposing body in the ceiling - rather, it actually fell from the ceiling. That's when Oliver determined they needed to exorcise the spirit dwelling in the old schoolhouse.

"Whatever you do, don't leave my sight," he told Mai. Then, when there was a noise upstairs, he had taken her arm and rushed to the scene. Monk and John had been trying to perform an exorcism, but things were going terribly. They were covered in what appeared to be a dark mass, and they couldn't escape it.

The monk tossed his tokkosho out to Naru and Mai. Mai had scrambled for it, and once she had it in her hand, Oliver had pulled her back. They would have to use another method to exorcise the spirit.

He was jerking Mai through the schoolhouse, his hand tight on her arm when he spoke quickly, "I can hypnotize you so you're more likely to fall into a trance. I want you to try and communicate with the spirit and convince it to move on. Alright?"

Mai had nodded her head quickly, slightly nervous. She had never exorcised anything by herself.

As Oliver flew down the staircase, Mai suddenly fell from his grasp. He had turned back to grab her, afraid she had fallen through or off the stairs, but there was nothing. She had completely vanished, leaving him alone.

It was when he was alone that he too began to forget Ayako and Lin. Masako and Yasuhara followed soon after, as did John and Monk.

Mai was the last one he remembered.

He sat against the wall of the room he had chosen as base. He was waiting, planning. Mai was his only hope - which was a little unsettling - and if she failed to cleanse the spirit, he would have to take matters into his own hands. One way or another, he would make sure everyone got out alive, even if it meant he had to pay the ultimate price.

Oliver would give Mai two hours. If she or the others didn't return to him within the span of two hours, he would blow the spirit into oblivion.

The others… how many had there been again? Five, six?

He was amazed at how quickly he was forgetting them all. He couldn't even recall what they looked like, except for Mai. Strangely enough, she always seemed to be the exception.

According to his watch, half an hour had passed, and nothing happened. Nothing had moved, and nothing had made a single sound.

How confident had he been in Mai's abilities? Oliver knew he would have only turned to her as a last, well, second to last resort. But, he was beginning to forget about what she could even do. Did she have PK, like himself, or was it ESP? Could she astral project, or even sense spirits?

Another half hour passed.

He couldn't remember what color her hair was, or what letter her name started with. He couldn't remember how old she was, or why he even hired her. Oliver had told himself he needed to wait another hour for something because of her, but he was starting to forget what he had asked of her earlier.

Forty-five minutes ticked by, and Oliver was starting to wonder why he was simply slumped against the wall, waiting for anything at all. He didn't remember coming with anyone else. He was completely alone and would only be able to escape the schoolhouse on his own. So, why was he waiting?

He was about to stand after another fourteen minutes and finish his job. He knew it would likely kill him, but doing nothing would only end with a similar result. He recalled trying to smash the windows, but they didn't even crack, even when he started bashing them with a chair. Then, the doors wouldn't open, and even when he had thrown himself into them, they didn't budge.

Taking a deep breath, Oliver cleared his mind. He stood very still as he concentrated on the rising and falling of his chest. The air about him was thick and crackled with energy. When he opened his eyes, preparing to gather it, he suddenly froze.

Staring at him was none other than Lin.

Lin? Wait a minute… Lin, he… Oliver actually remembered.

But, why had Lin suddenly appeared to him? Unless… Mai. She had done it. She was successful.

"No…I didn't do anything…" Oliver could hear Takigawa as he walked down the stairs with John, Ayako following behind them.

"Do you think it was Masako then?" John asked, only to have the medium step in from a side room.

"No… I didn't do anything either."

"Lin?" Monk guessed, glancing at the taller of Naru's assistants.

He shook his head slowly.

Everyone looked to Oliver, who then glanced back over his shoulder to see Mai leaning against the wall, smiling. She had done just as he requested and proven herself to be a true, competent psychic.

"Good job, Mai."


	11. Found

_The trees stand tall playing witness to the night_

_And the water of the lake ripples in spite_

_Heavy stones sink further and further into the depths of the murky lake_

_Moonlight glistens on the shallow banks but can never penetrate the clouded waters_

_The wind hums lowly, a sweet melody, but all the notes are wrong, diminished, and sour_

_The sun rises and falls_

_Seasons come and go_

_The water remains tainted with filth and still like the dead_

_Secluding dark secrets_

_The tomb is undisturbed and bound shut with aged metal chains_

_The key deliberately lost_

_Never to be uncovered_

_But soon the old brittle chains give way_

_And what's hidden surfaces_

_Found_

Noll was not usually one for poetry. He didn't particularly ever care to read it, nor write it, but there he was, sitting at his cleared desk, writing in his journal. The nib of Oliver's pen hung over the final stanza of his work, and his hand twitched, as if he considered scratching it out altogether.

_Found_.

That single word written in shiny black ink left Noll with a rather hollow feeling in his chest.

As Oliver pressed his pen to the page of his journal there was a knock on his door. Lifting his head, Oliver spotted Lin standing in the doorway.

"Our flight leaves in three hours. We should leave."

Nodding, Noll clicked his pen and closed his journal. He then packed both away into his bag, along with the last of the books he had stowed in his desk. Just as Noll pulled the last book from the bottom draw a slip of thick paper fell to the floor. Oliver rolled his eyes before reaching his hand down to pick up what he discovered to be a photograph.

"Luella…" Noll muttered, sticking the photo in his breast pocket.

Oliver pulled the door to office closed as he stepped out into lounge. When he turned, preparing to follow after Lin, Noll spotted his mocha-haired assistant. She was standing there, staring at him with those large brown eyes in which he always seemed to find himself lost.

"I guess this is goodbye for now." Biting her lip, Mai held her hands behind her back. She turned her head away and looked to the floor before Noll could take a step closer to her.

Crossing his arms, Noll shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, I suppose it is goodbye for now." He hadn't expected to see Mai, last they spoke, they had been standing in a forest, and she had metaphorically stabbed him in the heart.

"Yeah…" Mai glanced back up at Naru and gave a small smile. "It's going to be strange though, for the next couple months. I… I'm going to miss you, and Lin of course."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. Mai was going to really miss him, not Gene?

"It will only be two months. It's not as if we will never meet again." Oliver deadpanned, almost building a thick wall of ice between himself and Mai.

"I know," Mai sighed, "but it's just… you've really become such a good friend, and it will be weird without the whole family here for a little while."

Noll nearly replied, and rather nastily, but he held his tongue.

A light blush on her cheeks, Mai continued, "Anyway, I guess I also just wanted to wish you safe travels, and… if… you ever need anything at all, and if there is anything I can do to help, let me know."

Oliver gave a silent reply before brushing past Mai and reaching out for his coat. After pulling it from the rack he faced Mai again. Her face fell slightly, and her eyes dulled.

It was beyond clear that Noll had offended his assistant.

He stood in the doorway, staring at Mai. Neither he or Mai spoke, they only held each other's gaze, and while they looked at one another Oliver clenched his teeth behind his closed lips. He knew he couldn't just leave Mai upset. He couldn't allow himself to leave Mai upset.

Sighing, Noll draped his jacket over his arm. He poked his fingers into the pocket sewn into his dress shirt.

"Here," Noll offered Mai the picture Luella had tucked away in his personal copy of _Paranormal Systems._ "My mother left this behind, and I doubt she'll miss it."

Blinking, Mai took a tiny step forward. She hesitantly reached out for the picture. Before her fingers brushed against Naru's she took it and gently pulled it toward her. When she did look at the picture she gasped.

"Naru! I… I can't take this! It… It must mean so much to you!"

Noll watched as Mai scanned over the photo. The tip of her finger traced over both of the boys standing in the picture.

"Take it. I was planning on throwing it out."

Jaw dropping, Mai hugged the picture to her chest and took a another step back. She couldn't believe that Naru could throw away any picture of himself and his brother. Meanwhile, Noll looked down at his watch. He had only another minute at the most before he needed to leave.

The shell-shocked Mai soon managed to find her voice again. She beamed, "Thank you, Naru." After taking another look at the photo, Mai glanced at Oliver. "It looks like there are two Genes."

Right then Oliver's fresh wound opened, and he tensed ever so slightly.

"You know, you do have a nice smile, when it's real, Naru. I… I really do hope I have the chance to see you happy."

He didn't let his bleeding heart show through to Mai. Instead, he curled his lip up into a slight smirk. "Goodbye for now, Mai."

**Wow, It's been awhile since I've been around. Hehe... I finally started 'officially' dating my last two weeks of high school, so for the past three months I've been spending a lot of time with the boyfriend and slacking on my writing. Oh, and yeah, what do you know, looks like I start with college classes in a week too. Yeah, I'm not going to be around that much. I do hope to at least get something out every month, but I don't know if I can hold myself to that. Double majoring in music performance and math, so I'm going to be way busy. But still, I promise to do the best I can with keeping up here! **


	12. Flowers

Noll sat quietly throughout the whole ordeal, hands clasped together in his lap. All sound seemed to slowly fade away, leaving only a slight ring in his ears. His eyes were drawn to the center of the room, where a casket sat among the impressive masterpiece of a talented florist. The scented patches of white, pink, and lavender dominated the parlor with a fresh, airy odor that served to mask the somber atmosphere.

Luella was clutching her husband's hand while she sank her teeth into her tongue to keep from sobbing uncontrollably. She trembled while hiccuping silent cries. Dabbing a soggy tissue to her drowned irises, Luella squeezed Martin's numbing hand even more tightly. Her composure was was slipping at an unprecedented rate, and prior to the conclusion of her eldest son's service Luella had burst into a series of hysterical wails.

At a loss for what to do, Martin pulled his wife into his torso and gingerly rubbed her back with an unsteady hand. He then held her head against his shoulder and combed his fingers through soft strands of her golden hair.

Noll didn't move, not until most of the others in attendance had left and moved on into the dining room for an early lunch.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Noll spotted Lin. The older man was sitting a few chairs away, just watching him. Sighing, Noll stood.

"Lin, if you would please, join the others. I would like a moment to myself."

Without a word the older man quietly removed himself from the room, leaving Oliver alone to mourn in the company of total silence. Noll wasn't ever one to show his emotions in front of others. Perhaps Gene was the exception at one point in time.

The moment the door shut, Noll reached out his hand and pressed it against the polished wood nestled amongst the clusters of flowers. His palm skated over the slick edge of the casket as if it were forged from ice while he paced its length.

A mirror, framed in brass, hung on the wall captured Noll's reflection perfectly as his moved. He met his own eyes carefully, inspecting them as if he were suspicious that they were not his own.

"Are you capable of moving on?" Oliver spoke with a clear, annoyed tone.

His reflection began to move on its own before flashing a coy smile.

"I hate to disappoint you, idiot scientist, but as of this moment, I am still bound to the mortal world. I do promise that I have made… several attempts to move on, but I can't. It's like there is a gate I am supposed to pass through, but there is a force preventing me from doing so. There must be something I'm waiting for, or something I must make sure is done."

Noll huffed as he crossed his arms, "I see… baka. You better find out what it is that is keeping you from moving on. You know as well as I that remaining in this world too long is dangerous."

Gene waved his hand, "Yeah, I know. But, I can't exactly control my situation at the moment. It's not my fault I apparently have unfinished business."

"Then find a way to control it."

Gene smirked. "Fair enough then. You're going back to Japan!"

Oliver froze. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he closed his hands into tight balls. "I most certainly am not. Madoka will remain in Japan until further notice, and I have absolutely no intentions of going back."

"Ah, but you told me to find a way to control my situation. Hate to tell you idiot scientist, but the only way I'll be able to move on is if you return to Japan. Besides, I thought you told everyone you'd only be gone for two months."

"That had been my original intention, however I felt it best Madoka run the office in Japan. And why is it that you will only be able pass on unless I return to Japan?" Noll demanded, taking a step closer to the mirror.

Wagging his finger, Gene shook his head, "Can't tell. I guess you could call it a rule, but I can't tell you exactly. You're the paranormal investigator. Go to Japan and figure it out for yourself."

"You damn stupid medium!" Noll shouted, his fist flying towards the mirror. Glass shattered as Oliver's knuckles met the shining wall decoration with high speed and fell to the floor in rigidly shaped shards.

Noll's closed hand was still pinning the ruined mirror against the wall as the door flew open and guests rushed in. Lin was first to push himself through the crowd gaping at the young investigator, followed by Luella and Martin.

"Oh Noll!" Luella whispered, her voice strained from sobbing. "You're hand, it's bleeding."

Lin carefully pulled Noll away from the wall with Martin's help. They sat him down in a chair and shooed the guests away as they began theorizing on Oliver's rash behavior.

"Are you alright?" Lin asked, inspecting Noll's hand.

Oliver didn't choose to answer Lin's question. Instead, he gazed at the broken mirror, then the flowers, and finally the casket.

"Lin, we will be returning to Japan."


	13. Eggs

Sitting on the plane, Noll slouched against the window looking out onto the endless ocean of white clouds. His cheek rested against his closed hand while he found himself stumped.

Something about himself had changed dramatically during his long stay in Japan. Before he even left London for the second time both Martin and Luella had commented on the abnormalities in his behavior - though most would have considered his abnormalities rather normal.

Luella had been utterly shocked when Noll actually ate something with eggs. She told Lin and Martin the moment she discovered him sitting at the kitchen table, eating leftovers from the night before. Noll's vegetarian diet had been completely understandable, rather it had been a requirement. Not only had Noll practiced Tai-chi with Lin in order to keep a handle on his abilities, but he had also practiced Tu-Na.

Lin occasionally ate eggs, but Noll tended to exclude them from his limited diet completely - which had made cooking for Luella a pain in the ass, not that she ever once said it. Really, when he realized that he had been eating a dish that incorporated eggs, Noll was rather surprised himself. He had also been more so surprised by the fact he had gotten out of bed a little past midnight for something to eat. Noll didn't usually care to eat very often, and unless he was reminded he typically forgot.

Of course, willingly consuming eggs had not been the only oddity in his actions lately. There had been the incident with the mirror during the funeral, and then he had actually put some thought into his choice of wardrobe. Black had been easy. As was culturally expected, Noll wore black after Gene's passing, but he never cared to wear anything else simply because he didn't really care, and didn't have any desire to got to the trouble of matching colors. But prior to his departure, Noll actually found himself debating on the style of clothing he should have worn from day to day.

Then, there was still a rather impressive sum of his strange behaviors that no one else but Noll alone knew of. His thinking in Japan had been odd, at least, when people other than just Lin were around. He had actually found himself hurt, emotionally, which was beyond unusual. And Noll had also allowed himself to get close - what Noll would have considered close - to those boneheads that constantly used his office as a cafe without the intention of personal gain. Then, finally, there was Mai.

For God's sake he had let her kiss him. It was after the Christmas party he had allowed her to have in the office… She thought he had been sleeping… Noll didn't understand why he hadn't expressed his disapproval of his assistant's actions, or why he hadn't really disapproved of her actions for the matter. He didn't like attention, or people, honestly. So why had Noll been alright with attention from Mai? And why had it bothered him that she honestly preferred Gene to him?

Noll truly was stumped to no end. He didn't like Mai. She was much too loud for his liking. Yet he had been under the illusion that he had actually held a fondness for her.

Perhaps Gene's death has simply gotten to him on a subconscious level. They had once shared a mind after all. The sudden loss must have had him thinking irrationally, to compensate for absence of Gene's constant nonsense. Then there was the recent reminder that everything would forever be different, i.e., the funeral. That could have explained the more recent strings of his strange behaviors.

Yes, it all made sense to Noll. The lack of Gene's idiotic thoughts were to blame. It was the only reasonable explanation, because there was absolutely no way Noll could really change. People never really changed, not for the long term, at least.

"We're landing," Lin said, interrupting Noll's thoughts.

"..." Noll lazily turned his head and met eyes with his escort. He barely acknowledged him before returning his gaze to landscape that grew with each passing moment.

It was clear to Noll, what he had to do. In order to maintain a normality - an abnormality to most others - he would have to keep his distance. To those who tended to help with his investigations and worked in his office he would only present himself in a professional manner and only address each of them formally, no exceptions.

"I recommend we eat after we land," Lin continued, pulling Noll from his thoughts once more. "What would you like?"

Noll shrugged before speaking with a clipped tone, "I don't care as long as it doesn't have eggs."


	14. Formalities

"Come on Yasu! We don't have that much time until the narcissistic grump get back!" Mai shouted, her arms flailing at her sides as if she were a bird incapable of flight. "Madoka left his office pink! Pink! He's going to flip when he sees it! We have to repaint and replace the furniture and-"

"Psst… Mai," Yasu interpreted in a whispered tone, pointing towards the door. "I think you might want to turn around…"

"Turn around?! Yasu we don't have time-"

Noll raised an unamused brow the moment his assistant snapped her head back and met his gaze. Obviously she hadn't expected him to be there a day earlier than planned.

"Oh, uh… Naru!" Mai clapped her hands together as she twirled around and put on a taut grin. "I wasn't expecting you back this early! Uh, a case just came in and I have the files here!"

After Mai had reached out to grab the folder sitting on her old desk Oliver crossed his arms. His posture slacked, forcing the wall adjacent to the door to hold his weight. While he slouched back against the wall with crossed arms, Noll found himself totally mute. He had nothing at all to say to Mai, or anyone else in his presence. All he had originally wanted was to return to an office that lacked chos. But since when could he ever return to an office that lacked chos?

"I can get Yasu to read it to you if you want!" Mai added, defusing the sudden silence.

"I'd be more than happy to," quipped Yasu as he jumped up and clapped his hands together.

Oliver tilted his head to the side as his stoic face fell away. His brow twitched slightly as he pursed his lips. While stepping forward, Noll snatched the file form Mai's hand. As he towered over her Noll gave the younger girl a cross look.

"For your sake, Taniyama-san, I do hope the you were being facetious."

Watching as Mai seemed to shrink under his gaze, Noll stepped back and turned away. He glanced at Lin - who was still standing in the doorway - for a moment and then sighed.

"What… He doesn't even look at me?" Yasu mumbled to himself, rubbing the back of his head with a sweaty palm.

"Tea, Taniyama-san," ordered Noll sharply.

Her reply wasn't immediate, Noll noticed. And when she answered his request her voice wasn't the same as it had been earlier. If anything, Noll would have concluded that she was disappointed. But, of course, Noll had no reason to ponder the source of her disappointment, or even care.

He watched as she took a few steps back, and when she ran into her desk Oliver rolled his eyes. "Sometime today."

Jaw hanging open, Mai closed her hands into tight fists. Oliver, meanwhile, barely paid any attention to the younger girl while opening the file in his hands.

"You might want to consider closing your mouth. Flies might begin to nest."

It was when Mai stormed into the small kitchen, cursing quite colorfully under her breath, that Noll took a seat in the lobby.

While he read - stared at the Japanese characters - Noll frowned. He recognized one symbol in particular. It translated to demon, and that more than grabbed the boy's attention.

"May I ask when this particular case was brought to your attention?" Noll averted his gaze from the file and glanced at Mai. She stiffened slightly before finishing her walk across the room to hand Naru is tea. Quickly after, she sat down across from her employer.

"A couple days ago. This guy came in with his sister, telling us about his mother's house. The guy, Hirota, seemed really skeptic about the whole thing, but his sister was really scared. Hirota requested to have a meeting with you before we began any investigation. He basically called us all frauds, and said he wouldn't even consider letting us look into things unless you could prove that paranormal activity actually exists…"

"I see…" Oliver mutter. Another biased fool. "Taniyama-san, call Hirota then, and ask him to come in this afternoon. I'd like to begin investigating as soon as possible."

He noticed that Mai's features fell while he spoke to her. She must have really been upset about something… But, alas, Noll had no reason to dwell on Mai's mental health.

"And one last thing, Taniyama-san," his words cut through the girl like a hot blade, wounding her deeply. The shimmer in her eyes clearly displayed hurt.

"Y...Yes?" replied Mai with a hesitant whisper.

"Have Osamu-san repaint my office. _Today_."

Swallowing thickly, Mai shook her head forward and then retreated back to her desk. Meanwhile, Oliver resumed his examination of the case file.


	15. Alien

**Ah... Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted... Anyway, this is probably the least serious, and the shortest installment of Olive Branches thus far. I had this idea for a while, and... it landed here. Sorry, it probably isn't all that fitting, but after those previously depressing oneshots, here's a comic relief, sorta kinda.**

Giggling as Yasu jumped up onto the coffee table, Mai shook her head. She couldn't believe Ayako had convinced him to impersonate America from Hetalia.

"Yo dudes! There's nothing to worry about 'cause I'm the hero!" Shouted the college student as he threw out his arms out dramatically. Taking a step forward, Yasu suddenly wobbled slightly and the whole table went crashing forward.

"Oh crap!" He yelled, tumbling over his own feet, and then the table in mid fall.

As his face met the unforgiving floor, the light haired monk slapped a hand over his mouth and laughed. "See! That's why we don't stand on furniture now!"

"And why exactly was someone standing on my furniture."

Everyone's head turned the moment Naru's voice sounded. They hadn't expected to see him standing in the door of his office. Last time they all checked it was closed.

While the young manager crossed his arms, Yasu rubbed the back of his head before smirking. "Hey! It's Tony! What's up dude?!"

Everyone snorted, except for Naru of course.

"You mean that weird alien thing?!" Monk chuckled in a poor British accent.

"No!" Yasu jumped up before gripping Naru's shoulder - which was a big no no. "He's my best friend! Right Tony?" He looked up at Naru, a large smile still stretched across his face.

"Idiot…" Naru muttered, pulling himself away from Yasu's grasp.


	16. Restless

**Well, it has been awhile since I've updated this. Honestly, this took a while. I spent a long time thinking about what to do. I remembered a panel from Akumu no Sumu Ie, and got a little inspiration. If I recall correctly, it was a panel of a pissed off Mai trying to sleep in the floor with Naru supposedly sleeping soundly on a couch. That's where the start of this originated. The rest... ah... it happened on its own. I had been constantly reworking the first like... three paragrahps, and after that... gave up and said it will be whatever it becomes. That is why you have this now. Hopefully it isn't too awful or too out of character. Let me know what y'all think.**

Noll could have just about killed Mai… Her obnoxiously loud grumbling and shifting was driving him absolutely mad. He did, however, remain quiet and continued to act as if he were asleep. If Noll was to alert Mai of his consciousness he would most certainly have gotten to hear all about his lack of manners for making her sleep on the floor. Really, though, Mai should have been used to sleeping on the floor. She lived in Japan, where sleeping on the floor was common practice. Noll was much more accustomed to an actual bed, therefore it clearly made much more sense that he slept on the sofa. He saw absolutely nothing wrong with his logic, but then again, Noll rarely saw flaw with his own logic.

"Stupid, selfish jerk…" Mai mumbled, just barely loud enough for Noll to hear. "Can't be a gentleman, can he? Everyone else got a bed…"

And it appeared that Noll got to hear one of Mai's rants, regardless of his attempt to pretend that he was asleep.

"Or a futon…" Mai continued, "But no, Mai has to be stuck with nothing more than a flat pillow and a blanket… On a hardwood floor…. All because stupid Naru couldn't man up and forget about his pride for one night…"

Exhaling loudly, Noll opened his eyes. He was never going to get to sleep if Mai didn't shut up… "Taniyama-san… please… can you keep your thoughts to yourself? Some of us would actually like to get a little rest."

"Oh!" Exclaimed Mai. "So sorry to wake you from your beauty rest, _your highness_."

Noll, irritated only further, sat up. He glared down at the foot of the sofa, where Mai laid. "Is there really any reason for your hostility? Honestly, since I have returned I can't help but notice that you are quite rancorous towards me in private."

Mai looked at him as if he had blown a hole into another dimension. "Is it really imperceptible to you? God, you're so dense…"

"Then why don't you enlighten me." Noll stated - more like commanded - with an icy tone. He drew back slightly when Mai suddenly leaped up from the floor. She was on her knees, and her nose was inches from his own.

"Ever since you got back you've been a total ass to me. Before you left, I thought we were friends, but when you came back you made it clear that I was mistaken. I… I could handle that…. But at every turn you find something wrong with me, or the way I do something. It was different before you left. Yeah, you pointed out some of my flaws and mistakes then, but the way you went about it felt different. Now… it just seems cold and totally uncalled for, and it's constant. You had never complained about the way I organized your files, but suddenly I'm doing it all wrong? And somehow my tea totally sucks now, and isn't worth drinking? Don't think that I haven't noticed you dumping it in the plants in the office! And now…" Mai's face had begun to splotch with red patches as her eyes watered. Her throat tightened and her voice heightened in pitch "I'm the one who's left to sleep on the goddam floor? If you're trying to say something to me just say it!"

At a loss, Noll could only manage to stare at his assistant. He couldn't overcome his sudden spell of muteness until Mai collapsed into a fit of sobs. Noll watched in a stone-like state as she crumpled to the floor and held herself while she shook. It was while watching her that Noll began to truly realize the pain he had been inflicting upon Mai. And it sickened him that it had been somewhat intentional. He did wish to distance himself from Mai, but never did he want to really hurt her…

"Mai I-" Noll froze. He hadn't meant to use her first name, but it had just slipped out… He was supposed to maintain distance.

At the sound of her name, Mai lifted her head. Her puffy eyes met with Naru's and her crying began to die away.

She was looking right at him, and Noll couldn't find it in himself to break eye contact. He could see how deeply she had been wounded by his words and actions, but there was something else in the look she gave him. Something that had been there since they first met.

"I… I… apologize for causing you such distress." Very hesitantly, Noll reached out and touched Mai's shoulder. "I did… have my own intentions for causing such trauma, and I see that no matter my own personal interests, that my actions were inexcusable. It has taken me until now to realize this."

Sniffling, Mai asked, "Why? What reason did you have to be like that?"

Noll remained silent for a long while. He knew telling Mai his reason for treating her rather poorly would upset her, and he didn't think that he could handle watching her completely breakdown again. Just one of her fits had rattled him, he couldn't imagine what another would do. But he couldn't bring himself to lie either.

"I was distancing myself...from you…" Noll's response was much slower than he would have like it to have been. With each syllable spoken he felt even more guilty and he felt even less justification for his treatment of his assistant.

"From… Me…" Mai repeated with a whisper. "I see…" She pulled herself away from Naru's grasp and laid on the floor. With her back turned to him, Mai sighed, "I'll resign as soon as this case is finished. You won't have to worry about ever seeing or hearing from me again."

Chest tight, Noll inhaled sharply. That wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want Mai to just vanish. Not when she needed a job, one that paid well.

"No." Noll removed himself from the sofa and knelt to the floor. Again, he took hold of Mai's shoulder. "I don't want you to leave."

Turning her head back, Mai frowned. "Then what do you want? You said you wanted to distance yourself from me… And now you don't want me to do the one thing that would guarantee it?"

"You can't afford to do that." Noll quickly stated.

"Naru… I don't want your pity."

"I don't pity you."

Mai sighed, "Then how do you feel towards me?"

Something very strange happened to Noll in that moment. Never before had he felt his heart pound so aggressively when faced with such a simple question. The feeling was completely unnatural to him, and it very much perplexed him. He had an inkling as to why he felt as he did, though he had been denying such a thought for weeks.

But… perhaps for whatever reason, as irrational as it seemed, maybe the feelings he had been dismissing and or ignoring were real… Could he give his feelings a chance? Was he willing to?

It was obvious that Mai was losing any hope she had while waiting for Noll to say something. When she turned away from him again, figuring that she wouldn't get an answer, Noll acted hastily. He almost didn't think as he pulled Mai up and spun her. When she was facing him he leaned in. His lips landed on hers.

The realization of what exactly he had done didn't come until Noll had pulled away and spotted Mai's flushed face. She too, just like himself, was totally surprised by what had just happened between them. Mai's fingers were tangled in Naru's sleeping shirt and his hands were holding her heated cheeks.

"It was always you," Mai spoke gently.

Noll hadn't expected her to say such a thing. He truly believed that she wouldn't reciprocate his affection - as unsure as he felt about it - yet she had.

"Good," Noll said cooly, shaking his nerves, "because I was the better looking one anyway."

Snorting, Mai threw herself into Naru's chest and hugged him tightly. She didn't loosen her hold, even as Noll moved back onto the sofa. He placed his arm around her as he shifted to lay down, securing her on top of him.

"We should get some rest while we can. If a few hours we'll need to check the cameras."

Nodding, Mai relaxed against Naru's body. She fidgeted just a bit to make herself even more comfortable before closing her eyes.

"And Mai, before we get to the cameras in the morning…" Noll drawled.

"Mmhmm?"

"Tea."

"Always, Naru."


End file.
